Asymmetrical light beelector



Oct. 22, 1929. N. LANG I ASYHMETR'ICAL LIGHT REFLECTOR Original Filed Jan. '26, 1.926

I INVENTOR. NLels Lang.

f4, ArrokNisygt 3 Fig. 4-.

Patented Oct. 22, 192.9 f

1 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE NIELS LANG, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO ASYMMETRICAL LIGHT REFLECTOR' Application filed January 26, 1926, Serial No. 83,815. Renewed March 22, 1929.,

My invention relates to reflectors composed of a plurality of reflecting surfaces oppositely inclined toward each other and connected to a main reflecting surface asymmetrically disposed relative to its neck. Such reflectors are designed to distribute light more ideally overthe space desired with a smaller reflector than that which would be required for like distribution of light if made otherwise. An object of the invention is to provide light reflectors that are substantially smaller in size for certain purposes, so that they may be more easily concealedin show-windows and more economically manufactured.

Afurther object of the invention is to. permit the reflecting surfaces to be at a minimum distance from the source of light so as to trap a greater number of light rays and'prevent waste of light. My invention is particularly' applicable to show-window lighting.

Heretofore in constructing reflectors for such purposes a continuouslycurved peripheral surface extended laterally from the neck of the reflector and reached a comparatively large maximum perimeter. before the light emitted was sufliciently'conflned, or projected as desired. Such reflectors. are dificult to conceal in show-windows because of the excessive space required in front of the window. Reflectors of the asymmetrical type are frequently mounted in a trough or gutter inside of show windows for purposes of concealment. By substantially reducing the s ze of reflectors as described herein, these troughs or gutters can be made much smaller, which renders the telescope'd type of asymmetrical reflectors herein described, much more desirable.

According to the present invention, a neck adapted for attachment to a holder or electric lamp socket is connected to a main reflecting surface and located so that its axis is not coincident with the center of the said reflecting surface, and a series of V-shaped oppositely inclined reflecting surfaces alternately arranged, are'connected thereto. In this manner the reflector is extended from the main reflecting surface in step-like the maximum perimeter of the reflector is preferably, though not necessarily, limitedv to a size just'large enough to accommodate a given size of lamp, with a reasonable amount of clearance allowed.

The inwardly inclined surface which connects with the inner edgeof the main reflecting surface, should be so inclined that eitherv a minimum of' light is reflected from it, or that any light rays it does reflect inwardly are directed to points on the main reflecting surface wherethey will subsequently be directed outwardlyin the most .(lBSlI'GCl CllFGC- t-ions. Likewise any other inwardlyinclined surfaces the reflector-may possess should be positioned and inclined so that any light re flected inwardly; to other reflect-ingsurfaces,

will ultimately be directed outward in de' sirable directions. g

' The outwardly reflectingsurfaces that are oppositely inclined to. and connect with the. inwardly inclined surfaces described, are all contoured soas to reflect light outwardly and assist in effecting the desired distribution of the light emitted. Each individualrcflecte; ing surface is "positioned asymmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the reflector.

' Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will-more clearly ap pear from thedetail description given below taken in connection with the accompanying, drawings which formv a part of thisspeciflcm tion and which illustrate the application of the inventionto certain forms of asymmetrical reflectors and from which those skill'edin the art will readily understand the appli-. cability of the invention in the makingof other kinds and forms of reflectors.

Fig. l is a vertical section of an asymmetrical reflector in the plane of its axis;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of an asymmetrical reflector designed to effect more concentrated distribution of light;

Fig. 3 is a Vertical section of an asymmetrical reflector taken through one axis, which effects a particular form of light distribu tion;

Fig. 4: is a plan view, of the reflector shown in Fig.3; and

Fig. is a Vertical section of an asymmetrical reflector adapted for foot lights.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by corresponding reference characters throughout, the numeral 6 indicates the neck by which the reflector is connected to a holder (not shown) and to an electric lamp socket. The longitudinal axis 7 passesthrough the reflector, the filament or light source 8, and a bulb or glass 9. Connected to the neck 6 is a main reflecting surface 10 which is positioned asymmetrically to the axis 7 and contoured so as to reflect light rays outwardly Without passing anyreflected light back through the light source 8. Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 only, a surface 11 inwardly inclined and angularly dispose-dto the axis 7, is connected to the outer edge of the surface 10 and is preferably inclined to reflect such light rays as it may intercept to advantageous points of the surface 10'. The inner edge of surface 11 is connected to the smallest periphery of an outwardly reflecting surface 12 which is angularly disposed thereto and asymmetrical to the reflector axis. The surface 12 is properly face 1 3 an outwardly reflecting surface 14: is-

extended forwardly in such directions and of such curvature that the light is reflected outwardly therefrom in such directions that when combined with and added to the light proceeding from the other reflecting surfaces described together with that proceeding from the source of light, the required final distribution of light is effected. The said surface 14 is also asymmetrically disposed to the axis 7.

While the reflectors illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 have been described together, they are not similar in all respects, for the reflector, shown in Fig. 1 is drawn symmetrically about a transverse axis angularly disposed to the axis 7 and at the same time is an asymmetrical reflector, so far as reflecting light is concerned, while the reflector illustrated in Fig. 2 is constructed of asymmetrical surfaces in every instance except the upper and main reflecting surface 10. This surface is asymmetrical to the neck 6. Unlike the reflector shown in Fig. 1, the bottom edge'of the reflector is at right angles to the axis 7.

A modified form of the reflector illustrated in Fig. 2 is shown in Figs. 3 and 41-, in which the main reflecting surface 10, while asymmetrically disposed to the axis 7, is constructed so that its maximum periphery is substantially at right angles to said axis 7. Extending inwardly from the outer edge of the surface 10 is a surface 15 which is inclined so as to reflect light rays to certain points of the main reflecting surface 10 for subsequent outward reflection. Asymmetrical surface 16 is adapted to reflect light outwardly and extends laterally forward from the inner edge of'the surface 15 and is constructed so that both its inner and outer edges are substantially at right angles to the axis 7 and substantially parallel to the lower edge of the said surface 10. An inverted surface 17 is asymmetrically disposed to the axis 7, and isinclined so as to reflect light inwardly. This surface connects the surface 16 with an asymmetrical surface 18, the latter being extended laterally forward until the light has been confined to the desired degree. It is then terminated to form an edge substantially at right angles to the axis 7. The contour and shape of the surface 18 is such as to reflect light outwardly and a particular form of light distribution.

till another form of a reflector adapted for use in foot lights, either in show-windows or theatres, is illustrated in Fig. 5. This reflector'will generally be used in an upright position and preferably will have an-outwardly tapered neck 6, (as shown), to accommodate'small lamps. ts construction is quite similar to the reflector described in Fig.

1. The reflecting surface 19 is angularly i-nclined to and as'unmetrically disposed to the axis 7. A series of oppositely inclined connected surfaces 20, 21, 22, 28, 2 and are built up in step-like formation and connected to the surface 19 to properly confine the light emitted and direct it in the manner desired. T he surfaces 21, 23 and 25 are inclined laterally forward and contoured to reflect light rays proceeding thereto from the light source 8 in an outward direction, while the surfaces 20, 22 and 24: reflect whatever light rays they may intercept to the outward reflecting surfaces described for subsequent outward reflection. All reflecting surfaces are asymmetrically disposed to the axis of the, reflector and are preferably individually asymmetrical, though not necessarily so. This reflector could be constructed similarly to the reflector shown in Fig. 1 by constructing all or part of the Various reflecting surfaces about a common axis angularly disposed tothe axis 7. From the foregoing description it will b seen that. by positioning the main reflecting surfaces asymmetrically and:then extending the reflecting surface by a series of alternately inclined asymmetrical reflecting surfaces to enclose the light source to the desired extent and reflect it in the requisite directions, an asymmetrical light reflector of decidedly smaller size can be constructed. Unlike the symmetrical reflectors described in m co endin aaolication Serial No.

83,813, the telescoping of an asymmetrical outward reflecting surface to substantially reduce its size and maximum perimeter is much more complicated for the reason that when an asymmetrical reflecting surface is divided into sectional parts and reduced in perimeter to have closer relation with the light source, its angle of relationship with the light source is changed diiferently on each side thereof. Therefore to produce a given distribution of light each outward reflecting surface must be of different contour at each side of the light source. Furthermore, the oppositely inclined surfaces, which serve to join the outwardly reflecting surfaces together, must be inclined diflerently on each side of the light source, either to avoid obstructing reflected light or to reflect light rays inwardly in such directions as to make contact with an outward reflecting surface at a point where the light rays will be subsequently reflected out of the reflector in a desirable direction. \Vhen telescoped, the outward reflecting surfaces of an asymmetrical reflector need not have any relation to a common axis, nor a common relationship to the axis of the lamp; the outward'reflecting surfaces need not be of the same contour around their periphery and their angle of relationship with the source of light may vary at every part of their periphery. Asymmetrical reflectors designed as described herein could have any or all of their reflecting surfaces corrugated or fluted to minimize striations or shadows,

which. practice is well known to the art, without in any way deviating from the basic construction described. Other applications and forms of the invention will thus be apparent to those skilled in the art.

lVhile I have described my improvements 7 in detail, in connection with'certain forms and improvements thereof, 1 do not wish to be limited to such details and forms. My invention may be applied to numerous uses, and what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A light reflector having a multiplicity of reflecting surfaces asymmetrically disposed to a source of light comprising inwardly inclined peripheral surfaces interposed between and connecting with concave reflecting surfaces extending laterally for.- ward toward the mouth of the reflector and individually having a different contour on opposite sides of the light source, said surfaces being extended from a concave reflecting surface asymmetrically disposed and connected with an annular neck.

2. An asymmetrical light reflector comprising an annular neck asymmetrically disposed to and connected with a concave reflecting surface, said reflecting surface being source of light and diflerently contoured on opposite sides thereof, said spaces extending from a concave reflecting surface disposed asymmetrically to the axis of the reflector.

4. A reflector for directing light having a plurality of reflecting surfaces asymmetrically disposed to the axis of the reflector neck and comprising a series of reversely inclinedreflecting surfaces alternately arranged about an axis angularly inclined to the longitudinal axis of the reflector neck and projectingfrom an asymmetrical reflecting surface that adjoins the neck of the'reflector.

5. A light reflector comprising a sectional outward reflect-ing surface arranged asymmetrically to an enclosed source of light, and

differently contoured on opposite sides thereof, the sectional parts being connected together by reversely inclined surfaces of varying inclination around their perimeter.

6. A light reflector comprisingan asymmetrical outward reflecting surface telescoped into sectional, parts arranged asym metrically around a sourceof light and differently contoured on opposite sides thereof,

said parts being connected'togetherby oppositely inclined surfaces individually .having a differentdegree of inclination on opposite sides of said light source.

. NIELS' LANG. 

